The Zygnessian Threat – Gunpowder Retrieval:

If persuaded with good checks he will offer the group a mission in exchange for a fullcoach wagon of gunpowder. He explains that even though they recently won the much-discussed battle against the Akivvi, he needs as many soldiers guarding the fort and themountain ranges in case the Akivvi still have enough numbers for a counter-attack. For thisreason, he has not sent anyone after a group of scouts that he has not heard from since beforethe battle nearly 2 weeks ago. He asks the group to find some evidence of their fate, dead oralive. If they agree, they will set off north through a mountain gate pass. There they willencounter some more guards that guard some mining camps north of the main mountainrange. A few hours in, a group of 3 Southern T’Toci approach them out from behind a crag.They say they come on behalf of Kresten Vo’Rut and that they know about their mission to getgunpowder. They offer the group a deal. These men are actually here to ambush a caravan fullof gunpowder coming from the northernmost mine in the coming days and subvert it to Vo’rutlands. They offer the group one of the coach wagons if they are to help them in the raid. Theparty can agree to help, disagree, kill them, or later tell Hjalmar about the Vo’rut planning theraid. If they agree to help they will be brought to a small camp hidden behind a crag wherethey will wait two days then raid a caravan of T’Toci, with a druui rider and 4 T’toci soldiers, andsome T’toci miners. If they disagree to help but keep quiet nothing will change but they may hear news ofthe attack later. If the group decides to continue with their original mission they will need to passsurvival checks as they enter the coldest parts of the known world. Luckily Vekel being withthem prevents them from dying from cold but they will have to pass HT checks to see howbadly they are fatigued from 6 hours of arctic travel. At one point the group must hide from aherd of Akivvi venturing north. Eventually behind a crag they see 4 bodies on stakes flayed withcampfires smoldering underneath them. The Akivvi will immediately attack with spears andthrowing spears and will not yield until dead. 4 Akivvi to kill. Upon inspecting the flayed men,one of them is still barely alive. He asks the group whether the T’toci won the battle and thenbegs them to take him to Valkhall. The group can take back the scouts equipment and their sigilor can take back their bodies to be “passed.” At this point the group will be asked by Vekel to accompany his group during theirattack. Depending on how the group plays this it can go down in a few ways. The group canaccompany the men and participate in the attack as described above. Or, they can accompanythem and attack the Vo’Rut once the combat starts. If this happens the group has to fight Vekeland 7 of his men alongside the Im’Lok dralk and 4 soldiers. The group can choose not toaccompany Vekel and his men in the attack, where Vekel will be disappointed and tells themKresten will never help his group. But, Vekel will refuse to attack the group, instead warningthem not to tell Hjalmar about the attack or Kresten Vo’Rut will kill them. If they decide to tell Hjalmar he will be grateful and offer the group a special hand-crafted pistol. Though this will cause unrest in the T’Toci and may affect future events. The party is then offered to sleep at Fort Im’Lok for the night before venturing back toSkeleria. If they choose to do so, and they told Hjalmar about the pending attack they will seeVekel being brought in in chains the next day, where he spits on the group and promises thatKresten will find them. Their journey back down the Der Channel and into Farmoor is uneventful. GM remindsthem that Farmoor is Vo’Rut lands and that perhaps they should be careful. Upon returning totheir ship, the group is met by a Il’khelm (M’Loc) raider captain who explains that a bunch ofmen wish to follow Eirik on his journey and that two large longboats will accompany him backto Skeleria (200 M’Loc raiders) The group then has a random naval encounter. Back in skeleria, the group again notices that the entire Golden Sails and various othermercenary companies are now acting as a standing naval blockade and army surroundingGadskar and the Skelerian archipelago. The party may do as they wish in Gadskar or may go meet with Scipio right away. He ispleased with their retrieval of gunpowder and congratulates Eirik on his family’s victory and theT’Toci who chose to follow him. Depending on their choices he will comment on a pending civilwar between the Vo’Rut and the Im’Lok and wonders what Rawlig will do in this situation.Regardless, Scipio will explain that the situation in Nian is worsening. He describes that AkaneAkasuki still refuses to stop the war. In fact there is an underground Kianese movementattempting to overthrow Akane Akasuki and install a new General who will make peace withNorth Nian and help them fight the Zygnessians coming from the Scar periodically. Severalassassination attempts against Akasuki have failed. She is now preparing to siege the Sala Asaricollege of mages. Scipio notes that these mages would be useful in fighting the Zygnessians,and that if the college falls the north will likely be consumed entirely by the Kianese andZygnessians.He also describes he has received a raven from Ymmit’s Finger – a large group of CherubianHealers are holed up in the Temple atop Ymmit’s Finger, guraded by the surviving members ofthe Cleansers. They fear the Zygnessians will find them and Scipio wishes to recruit the healersto prepare for the coming war against the Zygnessians.Further, he has received a request from the Lantinians to escort a Erudite who believes he candecode the Zygnessian Language and create a device to try to speak with the Zygnessians buthe requires an escort to observe the Zygnessians and the government is too concerned withpreparing for and attack to entertain his idea. Also, Irue Aurea was reportedly involved in ascandal and was imprisoned and then escaped, but his location is no longer known.The dowsing rod is still a viable option, which is believed to be hidden in the Ruined Temple ofEbnopis, in the Western Desert of Welyst, in the remants of the Qero civilization. Rumor has itthey used to be master farmers and terraformers but their tampering with the lands of Welystturned them into a desert over a short period and caused massive starvation, ending theircivilization in a matter of months.